How Coir is Used in Eco Building

Coconut coir is an eco-friendly sustainable product available for many different uses. Coir is growing in popularity as a substitute for peat moss as a product for erosion control, and it can also be used as a building material. Since it is a by-product of coconuts, it is good for the environment no matter people use it. Here are some of the ways coir is used in eco building.

Coir Wood

Coir wood or coir boards use the coconut fibers extracted from the husks and combine them with a strong resin to create wood similar to plywood. Builders use this to form interior walls of homes along with using it to build door panels and window panels. It can also be used for kitchen cabinets and all kinds of furniture including desks, tables, and wardrobes. Coir wood is stronger than plywood, it is water resistant, and it is resistant to termites and other insects. It is also fire retardant, and it won’t expand and contract with temperature changes.

Coco Coir In Concrete

A relatively new way to use coco coir is in concrete. Some companies have experimented with using a mixture of coir along with lime, cement, and water to create a more eco-friendly coir concrete product. Since both lime and cement are destructive to nature, mixing in coco coir helps to reduce the amount needed. This type of mixture works when building non-loadbearing walls.

Coir Cement Board

Coir cement boards use a combination of coir, cement, and water to create strong boards as a building component that will help conserve energy. The boards can either contain several layers of coir and cement or contain just one single homogenous layer. Using coir for eco building products reduces utility costs because its low thermal conductivity reduces the amount of heat transferred into a building.

Corrugated Coir Ply Roofing Materials

Corrugated coir ply is an effective alternative to corrugated galvanized iron and asbestos cement sheeting for roofing. Testing done on corrugated coir roofing shows that it is not only comparable to other roofing materials, but it is even better. It has a low thermal conductivity, provides good insulation, and can even be used in a house without a ceiling. It stays stable when soaked with water, and it burns slower than other wood-based materials.

Coir Insulation

Coir is already an insulation material for the coconut kernel, so it makes sense to use it as an insulating material in homes. The fibers of the husk protect the nut from heat, and they are durable enough to protect it even under humid, tropical conditions. Builders have used coir successfully as an insulator for many years since it is resistant to insects and it won’t break down over time. Coir also makes an excellent sound insulator for floors, both in residential homes and in industrial buildings, and it a good choice in areas where moisture is a problem.

The use of coir in eco building is still going through testing, but it is an excellent eco-friendly alternative to many other traditional materials.